Zugl.: Stuttgart, Univ., Diss., 2008

La simulation quantique consiste à réaliser expérimentalement des systèmes artificiels équivalent à des modèles proposés par les théoriciens. Pour réaliser ces systèmes, il est possible d'utiliser des atomes dont les états individuels et les interactions sont contrôlés par la lumière. En particulier, une fois excités dans un état de haute énergie (appelé état de Rydberg), les atomes peuvent être contrôlés individuellement et leurs interactions façonnées arbitrairement par des faisceaux laser. Cette thèse s'intéresse à deux types de simulateurs quantiques à base d'atomes de Rydberg, et en particulier à leurs potentielles limitations.Dans l'expérience du Joint Quantum Institute (USA), nous observons la décohérence dans une structure cubique contenant jusqu'à 40000 atomes. A partir d'atomes préparés dans un état de Rydberg bien défini, nous constatons l'apparition spontanée d'états de Rydberg voisins et le déclenchement d'un phénomène d'avalanche. Nous montrons que ce mécanisme émane de l'émission stimulée produite par le rayonnement du corps noir. Ce phénomène s'accompagne d'une diffusion induite par des interactions de type dipole-dipole résonant. Nous complétons ces observations avec un modèle de champ moyen en état stationnaire. Dans un second temps, l'étude de la dynamique du problème nous permet de mesurer les échelles de temps caractéristiques. La décohérence étant globalement néfaste pour la simulation quantique, nous proposons plusieurs solutions pour en atténuer les effets. Nous évaluons notamment la possibilité de travailler dans un environnement cryogénique, lequel permettrait de réduire le rayonnement du corps noir.Dans l'expérience du Laboratoire Charles Fabry à l'Institut d'Optique (France), nous analysons les limites d'un simulateur quantique générant des structures bi- et tridimensionnelles allant jusqu'à 70 atomes de Rydberg piégés individuellement dans des pinces optiques. Le système actuel étant limité par le temps de vie des structures, nous montrons que l'utilisation d'un cryostat permettrait d'atteindre des tailles de structures jusqu'à 300 atomes. Nous présentons les premiers pas d'une nouvelle expérience utilisant un cryostat à 4K, et en particulier les études amont pour le développement de composants optomécaniques placés sous vide et à froid. / Quantum simulation consists in engineering well-controlled artificial systems that are ruled by the idealized models proposed by the theorists. Such toy models can be produced with individual atoms, where laser beams control individual atomic states and interatomic interactions. In particular, exciting atoms into a highly excited state (called a Rydberg state) allows to control individual atoms and taylor interatomic interactions with light. In this thesis, we investigate experimentally two different types of Rydberg-based quantum simulators and identify some possible limitations.At the Joint Quantum Institute, we observe the decoherence of an ensemble of up to 40000 Rydberg atoms arranged in a cubic geometry. Starting from the atoms prepared in a well-defined Rydberg state, we show that the spontaneous apparition of population in nearby Rydberg states leads to an avalanche process. We identify the origin of the mechanism as stimulated emission induced by black-body radiation followed by a diffusion induced by the resonant dipole-dipole interaction. We describe our observations with a steady-state mean-field analysis. We then study the dynamics of the phenomenon and measure its typical timescales. Since decoherence is overall negative for quantum simulation, we propose several solutions to mitigate the effect. Among them, we discuss the possibility to work at cryogenic temperatures, thus suppressing the black-body induced avalanche.In the experiment at Laboratoire Charles Fabry (Institut d'Optique), we analyze the limitation of a quantum simulator based on 2 and 3 dimensional arrays of up to 70 atoms trapped in optical tweezers and excited to Rydberg states. The current system is limited by the lifetime of the atomic structure. We show that working at cryogenic temperatures could allow to increase the size of the system up to N=300 atoms. In this context, we start a new experiment based on a 4K cryostat. We present the early stage of the new apparatus and some study concerning the optomechanical components to be placed inside the cryostat.

No description available.

No description available.

Absolute ionization cross sections have been determined for collisions between sodium atoms in laser-selected Ryberg states. Measurements were made in a thermal-energy self-colliding beam for n = 26-29 D states. The cross sections have been found to be roughly fifty times geometric and show fair agreement with a recent classical trajectory Monte Carlo calculation but differ greatly from an earlier indirect measurement.

Neste trabalho estudamos a interação entre átomos de Rydberg no estado nP e sua dependência com o campo elétrico dc. Estes estados apresentam ressonâncias Föster para um número quântico principal n menor que 37. Nestes processos de ressonância um par atômico no estado nP muda para um par nS+(n+1)S. Realizamos dois experimentos de evolução temporal para 32≤n≤36. No primeiro investigamos a dependência da taxa de transferência de população NnS em função do número quântico principal n. E no segundo estudamos a transferência de população para um estado fixo de n=33 em função do campo elétrico. Além disso, estudamos a dependência da população no estado 33S em função da densidade de átomos de Rydberg no estado 33P. Estes resultados nos permitem observar duas contribuições distintas, uma linear relacionada a radiação de corpo negro e uma quadrática ligada a interação de dois corpos. Estes resultados confirmam o modelo de taxa para o efeito da radiação de corpo negro. / In this work we studied the role of Rydberg atoms interactions in the nP state and the dc electric field dependency of this process. The nP state shows Föster resonances for principal quantum number less than 37. In this resonance process, an atomic pair in nP state changes to a pair nS+(n+1)S. We have performed two time evolution experiments for 32≤n≤36. In the first one we have investigated the NnS population transfer rate for a variable principal quantum number n. In the second we have study the population transfer for a fixed n=33, by varying an electric field. Moreover, we observed the density dependency of the population in the 33S state by varying the nP state atomic density. The results allow us to observe two distinct contributions, a linear contribution related with the black body radiation and a quadratic one connected with two body process. The results agree well with the rate model used to treat the black body radiation.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / The present work involves the study of a simplified atomic system to gain better understanding of controlling and manipulating Rydberg-like systems. Detailed simulations of the classical hydrogen atom have been carried out using, first, the nonrelativistic Lorentz-Dirac classical equation of motion for a charged point particle under the action of a Coulombic binding force, plus applied radiation, then progressing to include the effects of the classical electromagnetic zero-point (ZP) radiation spectrum. This work has been carried out under the guide of the theory called stochastic electrodynamics (SED). Many applications involving atoms in excited Rydberg states can be developed, based on the work described here, to aid in carefully controlled thin film deposition, ion implantation, etching, and sputtering in micro and nanoelectronics, as well as optical instrumentation related applications, via applied electromagnetic fields. The improved simulation code for the long-term numerical integration of non-linear differential equations for tracking particles, should be helpful for a number of other closely related areas. Specifically, investigations into astronomy, including the Kepler problem treated in satellite and planetary orbit simulations in celestial mechanics, as well as problems in such areas as atomic and molecular dynamic studies, may well find benefit from the investigations here. As shown in the present study, very nonlinear behavior occurs for such Rydberg-like system, making a numerical study of the system nearly essential. Little of this work has been explored before in the literature. Resonances, rapid transitions, very long decay times, all influenced by applied radiation, are described and analyzed in detail here. Such results are expected to have significant bearing on recent experiments reported in the literature on "kicked Rydberg" atoms. Moreover, as reported here, the ZP field was included in very lengthy numerical simulations, resulting in a very close comparison with the ground state of hydrogen as predicted by Schrodinger's wave equation. This last result helps to support SED in general, although certainly considerable more work needs to be done for a full confirmation, but in the process this result greatly aids simulating situations where SED is expected to hold very well. / 2031-01-01

This thesis outlines the fabrication of two atom chips for the study of interactions between ⁸⁷Rb Rydberg atoms and a Au surface. Atom chips yield tightly confined, cold samples of an atomic species by generating magnetic fields with high gradients using microfabricated current-carrying wires. These ground state atoms may in turn be excited to Rydberg states. The trapping wires of Chip 1 are fabricated using thermally evaporated Cr/Au and patterned using lift-off photolithography. Chip 2 uses a Ti/Pd/Au tri-layer, instead of Cr/Au, to minimize interdiffusion. The chip has a thermally evaporated Au surface layer for Rydberg atom-surface interactions, which is separated from the underlying trapping wires by a planarizing polyimide dielectric. The polyimide was patterned using reactive ion etching. Special attention was paid to the edge roughness and electrical properties of the trapping wires, the planarization of the polyimide, and the grain structure of the Au surface.

This thesis outlines the fabrication of two atom chips for the study of interactions between ⁸⁷Rb Rydberg atoms and a Au surface. Atom chips yield tightly confined, cold samples of an atomic species by generating magnetic fields with high gradients using microfabricated current-carrying wires. These ground state atoms may in turn be excited to Rydberg states. The trapping wires of Chip 1 are fabricated using thermally evaporated Cr/Au and patterned using lift-off photolithography. Chip 2 uses a Ti/Pd/Au tri-layer, instead of Cr/Au, to minimize interdiffusion. The chip has a thermally evaporated Au surface layer for Rydberg atom-surface interactions, which is separated from the underlying trapping wires by a planarizing polyimide dielectric. The polyimide was patterned using reactive ion etching. Special attention was paid to the edge roughness and electrical properties of the trapping wires, the planarization of the polyimide, and the grain structure of the Au surface.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-127).